Featured Stories
Tenn. A.G. Skrmetti Announces Victory Against Google for Monopolizing Digital Advertising Markets
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 22 -- Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti issued the following news on April 21, 2025:
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TN Attorney General Skrmetti Announces Victory Against Google for Monopolizing Digital Advertising Markets
NASHVILLE--Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti today announced a significant victory in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia after Judge Leonie Brinkema found that Google violated the law by maintaining illegal monopolies in the digital advertising technology industry--stifling competition and harming website publishers, advertisers,
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 22 -- Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti issued the following news on April 21, 2025:
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TN Attorney General Skrmetti Announces Victory Against Google for Monopolizing Digital Advertising Markets
NASHVILLE--Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti today announced a significant victory in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia after Judge Leonie Brinkema found that Google violated the law by maintaining illegal monopolies in the digital advertising technology industry--stifling competition and harming website publishers, advertisers,and consumers.
"When Google reinforces interlocking products to exclude competition in ad sales, it's bad for content producers, it's bad for publishers, and ultimately it's bad for everyone," said Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. "Tennessee is proud to have been a part of this broad bipartisan coalition to hold a tech behemoth accountable and protect consumers."
In January 2023, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and a coalition of seventeen attorneys general sued Google for suppressing competition in the digital advertising technology industry. The lawsuit alleged Google's market power allows it to control nearly every aspect of online ad sales, permitting it to extract higher fees from advertisers while paying lower amounts to publishers for their ad space. This conduct hurts consumers and web publishers by making it harder for websites to make enough money on their advertising inventory, preventing them from offering internet users content for free without subscriptions, paywalls, or alternative forms of monetization.
Last week's decision found Google liable for violating antitrust law by acquiring and maintaining monopolies in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising. The judge also found Google liable for unlawfully tying together its publisher ad server and its ad exchange and found that Google harmed competition, its customers, and Internet users by imposing anticompetitive policies that reduced quality and increased prices. A second phase of the trial to determine remedies for Google's conduct will occur later.
Tennessee joins the lead attorneys general of Virginia, New York, and California, and DOJ, along with the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Washington, and West Virginia.
You can read the decision here.
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Original text here: https://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/news/2025/4/21/pr25-24.html
Ore. Justice Dept.: Oregonians Register Alarm Around Use of Personal Data, Including by DOGE in First Quarter of 2025
SALEM, Oregon, April 22 -- The Oregon Department of Justice issued the following news release:
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Oregonians Register Alarm Around Use of Personal Data, Including by DOGE in First Quarter of 2025
Other complaints involve social media/data brokers under the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act
The Oregon Department of Justice's Privacy Unit is reporting a big spike in the first three months of this year in complaints about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Specifically, Oregonians are concerned about how government entities are handling their personal information. As of March 31, 2025,
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SALEM, Oregon, April 22 -- The Oregon Department of Justice issued the following news release:
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Oregonians Register Alarm Around Use of Personal Data, Including by DOGE in First Quarter of 2025
Other complaints involve social media/data brokers under the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act
The Oregon Department of Justice's Privacy Unit is reporting a big spike in the first three months of this year in complaints about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Specifically, Oregonians are concerned about how government entities are handling their personal information. As of March 31, 2025,the unit had received more than 250 complaints about DOGE.
"The surge in complaints about DOGE underscores a growing public concern about what Elon Musk and President Trump are doing with the private information of millions of Americans," Rayfield said. "We filed a lawsuit related to this and have been successful so far in court, with a judge blocking DOGE from accessing the Treasury Department information. We will continue to do what we can to fight for privacy, and make sure DOGE doesn't sidestep the law."
In addition to the DOGE complaints, the Privacy Unit received 47 complaints between January and March relating to the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA) - the state's comprehensive consumer privacy law which took effect July 1, 2024. It involves rules for businesses when it comes to collecting customer information and gives more power to consumers over their data. The Privacy Unit released an online toolkit for Oregon families to protect their data, which includes a "how to" guide for making privacy rights requests.
ODOJ issued a Six-Month Enforcement Report, addressing efforts for the first six months of the OCPA. Today the DOJ is announcing the publication of a 2025 Quarter 1 Enforcement Report. This report addresses outreach and enforcement efforts from January 1-March 31, 2025, and identifies broad privacy trends in Oregon. The DOJ plans to continue to issue these reports quarterly, with a longer report published every six months.
On July 1, 2025, the OCPA will also go into effect for nonprofits that meet the threshold numbers set by the statute. To help nonprofits understand their upcoming obligations, the DOJ has issued FAQs for Nonprofits, tailored to address specific questions that nonprofits might face as they bring themselves into compliance. This is in addition to the existing FAQs for Businesses and FAQs for Consumers.
Nonprofits enrich and provide important resources to many different communities, but by their very nature, they also hold data about many Oregon consumers. Bringing nonprofits under the umbrella of the OCPA provides for robust and consistent treatment of Oregonians' personal data.
"Oregonians deserve to know their personal information is being respected, whether shopping online or donating to cause they care about," Rayfield said. "We just want to make sure everyone's protecting the folks who trust them. Privacy's not optional anymore. It's part of doing business."
Additionally, Oregon has joined a bipartisan group of state Attorneys General and the California Privacy Protection Agency to collaborate on the implementation and enforcement of state privacy laws. This Consortium of Privacy Regulators will focus on facilitating discussions of privacy law developments and shared priorities, with an emphasis on consumer protection across jurisdictions.
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Original text here: https://www.doj.state.or.us/media-home/news-media-releases/oregonians-register-alarm-around-use-of-personal-data-including-by-doge-in-first-quarter-of-2025/
Ore. A.G. Dan Rayfield Launches Federal Oversight and Accountability Website, Litigation Tracker
SALEM, Oregon, April 22 -- Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Dan Rayfield Launches Federal Oversight and Accountability Website, Litigation Tracker
New webpage also has form for Oregonians to report issues with Social Security payments and other federal
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield today announced the launch of a new Federal Oversight page on the Oregon Department of Justice website. This online tool provides the public with real-time access to information about Oregon's legal efforts to block unlawful actions by the Trump
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SALEM, Oregon, April 22 -- Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Dan Rayfield Launches Federal Oversight and Accountability Website, Litigation Tracker
New webpage also has form for Oregonians to report issues with Social Security payments and other federal
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield today announced the launch of a new Federal Oversight page on the Oregon Department of Justice website. This online tool provides the public with real-time access to information about Oregon's legal efforts to block unlawful actions by the Trumpadministration that threaten Constitutional rights and funding for health, education, federal agencies and more.
"We want to bring transparency to our work and show Oregonians that their state is working to defend the rule of law," Rayfield said. "This page on our website gives people the latest updates in our 13 multi-state cases to date. We realize that's a large number, and it can be hard to follow. We're hoping this will give the public the tool they need to understand what we're doing and where Oregon stands in these cases to protect our citizens and agencies."
The litigation tracker will be updated daily as new lawsuits and court rulings are filed. In addition to the tracker, the new page also includes:
A Social Security Issue Reporting Portal: Oregonians experiencing problems with their Social Security payments can now submit reports directly through this page on the ODOJ website. This information will be used to identify patterns of disruption or negligence.
A Federal Impact Reporting Portal: Oregonians who are federal workers who have been fired, laid off or otherwise personally impacted by federal actions are urged to fill out this form. This information will be collected for future federal actions and personal identifying information will not be shared without consent.
A Federal Oversight Directory: The page will include a list of key cabinet members appointed by Attorney General Rayfield, to advise him and special counsel at ODOJ on areas such as health, labor, education, and the environment.
Attorney General Rayfield emphasized the importance of accountability during times of federal overreach.
"We're not just tracking lawsuits - we're standing up for people. When the federal government oversteps or ignores basic rights and protections, Oregon will push back," Rayfield said. "This tracker is about making sure Oregonians know we're in the fight, and we're giving them the tools to speak up, too."
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Original text here: https://www.doj.state.or.us/media-home/news-media-releases/attorney-general-dan-rayfield-launches-federal-oversight-and-accountability-website-litigation-tracker/
Okla. A.G. Drummond Seeks Improvements to Federal-State Cooperation to End Human Trafficking
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, April 22 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release:
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Drummond seeks improvements to federal-state cooperation to end human trafficking
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 21, 2025) - Attorney General Gentner Drummond and a coalition of 41 state and territory attorneys general are urging U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to require better cooperation with local law enforcement agencies from the next operator of the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
"Cooperation from the entity selected to
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, April 22 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release:
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Drummond seeks improvements to federal-state cooperation to end human trafficking
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 21, 2025) - Attorney General Gentner Drummond and a coalition of 41 state and territory attorneys general are urging U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to require better cooperation with local law enforcement agencies from the next operator of the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
"Cooperation from the entity selected torun the National Human Trafficking Hotline is vital to our efforts to end the horror of human trafficking," Drummond said. "Law enforcement agencies must be able to rely on timely reports from the hotline about suspicious activity that can lead to arrests. Urgency and timeliness are critical in this endeavor."
In a letter sent this week, the coalition noted, "We are asking for the tips from the trucker who sees suspicious behavior on the road, the flight attendant who notices something unusual in the airport, the front desk clerk who sees something that does not make sense at their motel or the citizen who sees the same woman being abused at the corner market week after week. Those tips matter, and reporting those tips can save lives."
Since 2007, Polaris has operated the hotline with millions of dollars in funding authorized by Congress. States rely on the hotline to forward third-party tips of suspected human trafficking to local law enforcement to arrest traffickers, safely recover victims and uncover evidence of trafficking rings and operations. However, Polaris was not forwarding third-party tips about adult victims to state law enforcement except in limited circumstances. Additionally, states discovered a delay of up to several months before the hotline shared tips.
This practice is contrary to what Polaris itself advertises, to what states and organizations have come to expect from the partnership, and, the attorneys general believe, to what Congress expects from its funding. In February 2023, a bipartisan coalition of 36 attorneys general asked Congress to require the hotline to report third-party tips to local law enforcement. As a result, then-HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra stated that the agency was incorporating additional language in the next award notice outlining specific coordination requirements with law enforcement.
HHS currently is seeking applicants for a new funding award with applications due May 30. The award requires the hotline operator to develop a plan for working with law enforcement.
In the letter, the attorneys general ask Secretary Kennedy, "As you consider applicants, we urge you to ensure that the organization that is awarded the grant for the National Human Trafficking Hotline demonstrates its commitment to being a partner to our offices and local law enforcement with timely reports of trafficking tips. We have worked hard to teach the public the signs of trafficking and how to report it when they think they see it. But sending the public to the hotline when they see someone in trouble is futile if the organization running it refuses to share those tips."
In addition to Oklahoma, the letter was signed by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Read the Letter
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2025/april/drummond-seeks-improvements-to-federal-state-cooperation-to-end-human-trafficking.html
N.M. A.G. Raul Torrez Joins Nationwide, Bipartisan Effort to Reinstate the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program
SANTA FE, New Mexico, April 22 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release on April 21, 2025:
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New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez Joins Nationwide, Bipartisan Effort to Reinstate the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program
Albuquerque, NM - Today, New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez joined national leaders for a virtual press conference urging the Trump administration to immediately restart the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program. AG Torrez is part of a bipartisan coalition of more than 300 state and local elected officials calling for renewed resettlement
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SANTA FE, New Mexico, April 22 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release on April 21, 2025:
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New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez Joins Nationwide, Bipartisan Effort to Reinstate the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program
Albuquerque, NM - Today, New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez joined national leaders for a virtual press conference urging the Trump administration to immediately restart the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program. AG Torrez is part of a bipartisan coalition of more than 300 state and local elected officials calling for renewed resettlementefforts after the administration's executive order indefinitely suspended the program in its first days.
The press conference came just one day after the Trump administration's deadline to provide an administration report on future resettlement as the court requires action to process tens of thousands of conditionally approved refugees. The report, which was due Sunday, April 20, does not appear to have been published.
"As a nation, we've been fortunate to have immense power and resources. But true greatness isn't measured by how we serve ourselves--it's measured by how we use that power to uplift others," said Attorney General Raul Torrez. "One of the most enduring ideals of the American spirit is generosity, and that ideal is reflected in the broad support for reinstating the refugee program. It calls on us to treat others with the compassion we would hope for if we were fleeing war, famine, or disease in a foreign land."
In March, AG Torrez signed a letter to Secretary Marco Rubio demanding that the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program be reinstated after the Trump administration indefinitely suspended it. Joining AG Torrez on the call was a collection of leaders throughout the country including President and CEO of Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) Mark Hetfield, Mayor of Pittsburgh Ed Gainey, Refugee Congress Delegate for Washington, D.C. Aisha Koroma, Founder and President of #AfghanEvac Shawn Van Diver, President and CEO of the Erie Chamber of Commerce Brandon Mendoza and Reverend Noel Anderson of the CWS/United Church of Christ.
AG Torrez continued, "We are strongest when we live by our core values. Standing up for the rights of refugees isn't just the right thing to do--it's part of what defines us as a nation and should guide both our foreign and domestic policy."
The Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) is a federally funded program, through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The purpose of RRP is to ensure the effective resettlement of refugees in the State of New Mexico through programs designed to meet one or more of the State's three major goals:
1. To provide for the effective resettlement of refugees within the shortest possible time, after entrance into the State, using coordinated supportive services. Effective resettlement means the refugee's ability to access community resources to meet his or her basic needs related to employment, English Language Training (ELT), skills training, medical care, and social and cultural adjustments.
2. To promote economic self-sufficiency for refugees within the shortest possible time after entrance into the State through employment and acculturation by the coordinated use of financial, medical, and supportive services. Economic self-sufficiency is gainful employment in:
- A non-subsidized job for at least 90-days
- Receipt of a minimum wage
- A job that provides for basic economic needs of the person and family without reliance on public assistance.
3. To protect the refugees and the community from infectious disease and health related issues during resettlement
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Original text here: https://nmdoj.gov/press-release/new-mexico-attorney-general-raul-torrez-joins-nationwide-bipartisan-effort-to-reinstate-the-u-s-refugee-resettlement-program/
N.D. A.G. WRIGLEY ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENT WITH DELTA 8 RESELLERS OVER ILLEGAL SALE OF VAPING PRODUCTS
BISMARCK, North Dakota, April 22 -- North Dakota Attorney Drew Wrigley issued the following news on April 21, 2025:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL WRIGLEY ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENT WITH DELTA 8 RESELLERS OVER ILLEGAL SALE OF VAPING PRODUCTS.
BISMARCK, ND - Attorney General Drew H. Wrigley today announced that he has reached a settlement with Vando Holdings Corp., K & L Products, LLP, Kristen Doka, and Ryan Doka, the owners and operators of the website www.delta8resellers.com (Delta 8 Resellers), resolving claims that they sold and shipped illegal vaping products to North Dakota residents, including to minors.
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BISMARCK, North Dakota, April 22 -- North Dakota Attorney Drew Wrigley issued the following news on April 21, 2025:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL WRIGLEY ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENT WITH DELTA 8 RESELLERS OVER ILLEGAL SALE OF VAPING PRODUCTS.
BISMARCK, ND - Attorney General Drew H. Wrigley today announced that he has reached a settlement with Vando Holdings Corp., K & L Products, LLP, Kristen Doka, and Ryan Doka, the owners and operators of the website www.delta8resellers.com (Delta 8 Resellers), resolving claims that they sold and shipped illegal vaping products to North Dakota residents, including to minors.The Settlement is filed with the Burleigh Country District Court and is pending court approval.
Delta 8 Resellers is based in the state of New Jersey, and advertises, sells, and ships hemp, THC, Delta 8 THC, kratom, or mushroom products, including vapes, vape cartridges, gummies, snacks, chocolates, and other edibles, nationwide through its website. The Consumer Protection and Antitrust Division commenced an investigation into Delta 8 Resellers when the Division received information that the company unlawfully sold electronic smoking devices to a North Dakota minor. The investigation revealed that the company also offers products that, pursuant to North Dakota law, are unlawful hemp products, adulterated or misbranded products, or contain a controlled substance. The settlement resolves alleged violations of the North Dakota Food, Drug & Cosmetics Act, North Dakota's consumer fraud law, the Hemp law, and the prohibition against selling electronic smoking devices to individuals under twenty-one years of age.
Delta 8 Resellers denied the Attorney General's allegations that it engaged in unlawful conduct, however, has agreed to resolve the Attorney General's investigation and claims through an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance. As part of this settlement, the company has agreed to cease any sales to North Dakota for a year, and if the company resumes sales in North Dakota after a year, the company is required to implement commercially reasonable age-verification technology to prevent sales to minors, as well as refrain from selling any products that are prohibited from sale by North Dakota law. The company has also agreed to pay a consumer refund and a civil penalty of $10,000, of which $5,000 is suspended if the company complies with the settlement agreement.
"The products sold by this company may be dangerous, and this settlement aims to stop this company from selling and shipping such products into our state that can harm North Dakotans," Wrigley said. Some of the products sold on Delta 8 Resellers website are known to likely contain controlled substances and the product labels fails to disclose or indicate the true content.
The misleading name, packaging, and description of these types of products not only make the products appear legal and harmless but also make the products appealing to minors. "The company's complete lack of meaningful age verification before selling and shipping its products is unlawful, careless, and offensive," said Wrigley. If the company decides to resume business in the state, the company will no longer be allowed to sell electronic smoking devices or other products to North Dakotans without first using age-verification technology to ensure the purchaser is twenty-one years of age.
A copy of the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance is attached.
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Original text here: https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/attorney-general-wrigley-announces-settlement-with-delta-8-resellers-over-illegal-sale-of-vaping-products/
Md. A.G. Office: Independent Investigations Division Investigating a Fatal Officer Involved Shooting in Prince George's County
BALTIMORE, Maryland, April 22 -- The Maryland Office of the Attorney General issued the following news release:
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Independent Investigations Division Investigating a Fatal Officer Involved Shooting in Prince George's County
BALTIMORE, MD (April 21, 2025) - The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred on Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Prince George's County, Maryland.
The preliminary investigation revealed on Sunday, April 20, 2025, at approximately 10:15 a.m., officers
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, April 22 -- The Maryland Office of the Attorney General issued the following news release:
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Independent Investigations Division Investigating a Fatal Officer Involved Shooting in Prince George's County
BALTIMORE, MD (April 21, 2025) - The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred on Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Prince George's County, Maryland.
The preliminary investigation revealed on Sunday, April 20, 2025, at approximately 10:15 a.m., officerswith the Prince George's County Police Department responded to the one-hundred block of St. George Blvd. in Oxon Hill after receiving a 911 call for a report of a shooting or cutting at that location. Upon arriving on scene, surveillance camera and private dashboard footage shows that multiple officers encountered an adult male with a knife. The officers gave the man verbal commands, but the man did not comply, and advanced toward one of the officers with the knife.
As the officer backed away from the man, he and one other officer discharged their service weapons, striking the man. The man remained standing, turned, and walked several feet away from the officers, and collapsed. Officers provided medical aid until EMS arrived on scene and transported the man to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The IID will generally release the name of the decedent and discharging officers within two business days of the incident, although that period may be extended, if necessary, pursuant to IID protocol.
The officers on scene were equipped with body-worn cameras which recorded the incident. The IID will generally release body-worn camera footage within 20 business days of an incident.
There may be situations where more than 20 days is necessary, including if investigators need more time to complete witness interviews, if there are technical delays caused by the need to shield the identities of civilian witnesses, or to allow family members to view the video before it is released to the public.
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Original text here: https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/press/2025/042125.pdf
